Tag Archives: pizza

Funny how sometimes there’s nothing to setting a table. That is quite true of this one. It started with a linen table runner I hadn’t used in some time.

What drew me to it is the bird image as I do have a thing for birds and bird houses!

It was a no brainer to add a bird house from the collection on the porch and a little birdie that just happened to be sitting on the counter waiting to be used for something.

With so many flowers blooming in the yard, it was very easy to run out and clip a few to add a touch of color. For me, there is no better way to arrange flowers than to stick a stem or two or three in bottles that are then grouped on the table.

With the bird on the runner being stamped in black, there was no better choice for dishes than the black Ikea plates.

Finishing off the table is a favorite simple napkin fold that works perfectly as a pouch for the flatware.

You know, it just doesn’t take much to make a simple dinner at home something special.

And dinner was simple. It was an Against the Grain pizza with pesto and mozzarella to which was added pears, bacon, pine nuts and blue cheese.

Out of the oven, it was topped with arugula which made a salad unnecessary. By the way, if you haven’t tried Against the Grain pizza, look for it in your frozen food section. It is quite good, and as an extra bonus, it’s gluten free.

Like this:

We do enjoy entertaining at home, and sometimes it’s fun to have everyone get involved in the fixing. Nothing works better for that than pizza.

You never know what toppings folks will like, so it’s best to have an assortment ready.

Talk about an opportunity to be creative!

Choosing one or two toppings can be a real challenge, so loading up with a variety has real appeal! Guys especially get into combining ingredients, and it’s always interesting to see how their creations turn out.

Some folks do like to keep their pizza a tad simpler so as not to totally confuse the taste buds!

Once the pizzas are in the oven we snack on appetizers. What could be more perfect than cantaloupe wrapped with prosciutto

and tomato mozzarella crostini? Yum, it just doesn’t get better!

When the pizzas are ready, we mound slices on a platter so everyone can share. I’m betting you won’t find any of these combinations on a menu!

With platter and a caesar salad in hand, off we go to the dining room for some lip smacking fun at a very simple and colorful table. The plates actually came from Italy so they are a good choice for pizza.

Let me tell you, those straw wrapped wine bottles are not as easy to find as they were when we thought them dripping with candle wax was the epitome of table decor!

Like this:

We eat at home more often than not, and some nights require easy fixins. Those are the times when pizza can be a star.

Easy means starting with a bought crust and looking in the refrigerator to see what’s there for toppings. This is what I call a creative opportunity and a great way to use little bits of things!

This night there were plenty of fresh tomatoes, corn, pesto and some parmesan cheese in the fridge. Those ingredients provide a great start.

I brushed the crust with pesto and layered the tomatoes and corn, scraped from the cob, with a sprinkling of fresh basil. A generous amount of grated parmesan tops off the pizza which is baked in a 375 oven until the cheese has melted, about 12-15 minutes. If you’d like a crispier crust, bake it a few minutes in advance of adding the toppings.

Nothing could be simpler and with a green salad, the pizza is a meal that makes everyone happy….at least at our house!

I’m betting you have ideas for your favorite pizzas. Won’t you share?

i so appreciate your friendly visits and the comments you leave behind